Times
mperial and Foreign
LAST DAYS IN HONG-KONG
EYEWITNESSES WHO
ESCAPED
From Our Special Correspondent
JAN 1942
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CHUNGKING, JAN. 7 a Speaking by long-distance telephone I'd made the first direct contact to-night with n the survivors of the thrilling Christmas Day dash from Hong-kong, who have nowa arrived at the inland town of Shiukwan from the point on the coast where they landed.
Although a sustained conversation was difficult, I succeeded in obtaining a picture of the last days at Hong-kong, which one of the survivors summed up as
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extremely stubborn fight against terrific odds.' The Japanese subjected the island to repeated bombing and shelling, and while the damage was less than had been expected, it is feared that the casualties were fairly heavy.
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Among the survivors who arrived at Shiuk- 1 wan yesterday was Mr. Davis MacDougall, | 1 head of the Ministry of Information at Hong- kong, who is suffering from a bullet wound, t in the left shoulder-blade which he received during a fight with Japanese naval craft out- side Hong-kong. Mr. MacDougall, with whom I exchanged a few words of greeting, informed v me that the bullet was to be extracted to-day, v after which he would come to Chungking. a With the exception of one naval rating who i is in hospital with pneumonia the rest of the survivors are none the worse for their gruelling ordeal and are looking forward to coming to grips with the enemy again.
Describing the gallant defence of Hong- kong, one of the survivors told me:-" We were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Coming over in the night, the Japanese succeeded in effecting landings at Lyeemoon Pass and North Point, near the dockyard. They kept pouring in fresh troops until our weary garrison was completely outnumbered. We fought every inch of the way from North Point to Happy Valley, Leighton Hill, and the Wanchai dis- trict, where a final heroic effort was made to stem their advance."
INDIANS' BRAVERY
Another survivor described to me how the Japanese by weight of numbers succeeded in cutting our forces in two and isolating the garrison of Stanley Peninsula. In spite of
heavy odds the defenders continued to offer bitter resistance until the Japanese captured Tytam, the Colony's main reservoir; this cut off their water supply and forced them to sur- render. The survivors, who are full of praise for. all sections of the garrison, paid a special tribute to the bravery of the Indian troops, who fought with the same tenacity which they have shown in fighting elsewhere.
Asked about their dramatic escape from Hong-kong, the survivors told me that they left the small harbour of Aberdeen on the other side of the island in six naval motor torpedo- boats in pitch darkness. The utmost secrecy was required because Japanese troops were within rifle shot when they embarked. Two British naval ratings were lost before the boats cleared Aberdeen Island, together with one of the Chinese Admiral Chanchak's chief assist- ants, who is believed to have been drowned. The survivors were united in their praise of Admiral Chanchak's initiative and courage, as well as of the heroism of the Chinese who helped in the defence of Hong-kong.
According to the names given me over the telephone, the survivors include Commander Montagu, Lieutenant-Commander Yorich, Lieutenant-Commander Gandy, Major Arthur Goring, Captain MacMillan, Captain Guest, Flight Lieutenant Oxford, Mr. W. Robinson, of the Indian Police, Mr. MacDougall, and his|
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chief assistant, a young Canadian named Toss. On their arrival at Shiukwan vivors received what one of them called a the sur- triumphal reception," including a dinner given in their honour last night by General Yu Shan-mou, General Li Han-yuen, and the civilian governor of the Province.
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